People on the move

New jobs, promotions and career moves in South Florida

February 11, 2013|Cindy Kent, Staff Writer

Real estate

Deme Mekras will lead Franklin Street's new Miami office as regional managing partner. Mekras has more than 10 years of experience in the South Florida market and prior to joining Franklin Street, Mekras was vice president of investments for Marcus & Millichap.

C. Todd Everett joined Marcus & Millichap Real Estate Investment Services, as a senior associate in Fort Lauderdale office, and will focuse on the sale of office and industrial properties throughout South Florida. Everett is also director of the firm's National Office and Industrial Properties Group. Everett began his career in the South Florida market in 1995 with CBRE. Before joining Marcus & Millichap, Everett was a top-producing broker for NAI/Merin Hunter Codman Inc.

Pat Ruth joined Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate as manager of its downtown Fort Lauderdale and Las Olas offices.

Jessica Hinners joined Brenner Real Estate Group as a commercial associate developing office, industrial and retail sale and lease transactions for the firm. Hinners was most recently vice president of Auburn Communities, a developer and manager of affordable housing located in Delray Beach. In the past she was also vice president – commercial real estate For Legacy Bank of Florida, and vice president – commercial real estate for Fifth Third Bank.

Rick Wall joined Colliers International South Florida as portfolio manager for Colliers South Florida Real Estate Management Services and oversees the firm's portfolio of office, medical office, industrial and retail properties. Before joining Colliers, Wall was portfolio manager with Cushman & Wakefield, Inc. In the past, he was assistant vice president and asset manager at RREEF Management Co. Wall is member of the Building Owners and Managers Association in both the Miami and Ft. Lauderdale/Palm Beach chapters.

Natascha Tello, operating partner and broker of Keller Williams Realty Partners SW, was elected as The Miami Association of Realtors 2013 chairman of the board. Fernando I. Martinez, FM Realty Corp was elected as its 2013 residential president. The association represents over 25,000 professionals in residential, commercial, and international real estate. Others serving on the board include: Liza Mendez, Pedro Realty International, as chairman-elect; Terri Bersach, Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate, as secretary, 2010 Chairman of the Board, and 2008 Residential President and Jack H. Levine, Levine Realty, Inc., as treasurer, and 2011 Chairman.

Nonprofits

Robert Mackler joined the board of directors of LIFE (Leaders in Furthering Education) in Palm Beach. Mackler has been an active member of the local medical community in both internal and emergency medicine for more than twenty years including his concierge medical practice in the Palm Beaches.

Gerard Litrento, BankUnited's senior executive vice president of Retail and Business Banking was named chairman The American Heart Association's 2013 Broward Heart Ball, which will take place April 20 at the Harbor Beach Marriott Resort & Spa. Active in community organizations, Litrento is past chairman of the board of Junior Achievement of South Florida, and chairman of the Board and member of the executive cabinet of the Broward Alliance. He also is a member of the Broward Workshop.

Jaret L. Davis co-managing shareholder of the Miami office of Greenberg Traurig was appointed to the Income Development Committee of the American Diabetes Association for a two-year term. Davis has been involved with the ADA at a local level since 2009 where he has served as the vice chairman since 2010, and Chairman of the Father of the Year Awards Dinner since 2010.

Education

Wendy Kutchner was named assistant vice president for enrollment management and university registrar at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. Prior to joining FAU, Kutchner was university registrar at Temple University in Philadelphia from 2008-12, and as university registrar at Philadelphia University from 2005-08.

Cultural

Darleen Callaghan was appointed as the new director of Miami City Ballet School, beginning March 1. Lourdes Lopez, who has been the interim director since September 2012, becomes chairman of the faculty, overseeing all artistic aspects. Callaghan is nationally-recognized for her work as director of North Carolina Dance Theatre School of Dance, the official school for North Carolina Dance Theatre.